Studies Show Setting Limits Good For Children

For all the parents who are wondering if and what many boundaries they should be setting their teens and tweens, there is news: according to USA Today, parents who set boundaries can make a “huge difference”. Research has made the following findings:

Those teens whose parents enforced a 10 o clock or earlier bedtime, were better rested and less prone to be suicidal or depressed than those who did not.

Parents who enforce rules will have children who are less likely to speed, to drink and drive or talk on the cell phone while driving and more likely to wear seat belts.

Kids, whose parents set rules, may also delay sex and less likely to be smokers.

Researchers have found that kids care very deeply about what a parent thinks. The trick is this: get the rules across; but without it feeling ‘controlling’.

The enforcement should be done in an atmosphere of warm support rather than laying down the law in an authoritative and categorical manner. Set boundaries but remember that “because I said so” may not be the best explanation!